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Each week in Weekend Reading For Financial Planners, we seek to bring you synopses and commentaries on 12 articles covering news for financial advisors including topics covering technical planning, practice management, advisor marketing, career development, and more.
Which suggests firms that can meet clients' evolving needs as they advance up the wealth spectrum (e.g., Which suggests firms that can meet clients' evolving needs as they advance up the wealth spectrum (e.g.,
Which could prove to be a boon for the financial advice industry as more consumers are willing to entrust their assets to an advisor (while at the same time possibly making it tougher for some advisors to differentiate themselves primarily by how they put their clients' interests first?). Read More.
Which reflects similar results from recently released Kitces Research on Advisor Productivity, which found that asset-based fees are used by 92% of surveyed advisory teams (and are the primary revenue source for 86% of respondents), with 42% using hourly or project fees, 37% offering retainer or subscription fees, and 34% receiving commissions (with (..)
Senate appears poised to pass legislation that would eliminate the long-established WEP and GPO provisions and increase the Social Security benefits of many state and local workers in the process From there, we have several articles on investment planning: While index funds are often viewed as 'passive' investments, advisors can add value for their (..)
Also in industry news this week: NASAA has proposed an amendment to its broker-dealer conduct model rule that would restrict the use of the terms “advisor” and “adviser” for broker-dealers and their registered representatives who are not also investment advisers or investment adviser representatives A recent study suggests that (..)
The report suggests this might be due in part to increased RIA valuations and the assumption of some firm founders that next-generation employees won't be financially able to buy out the firm from them, though additional data indicates that many firms don't have career paths in place that could help next-generation advisors envision their path to firm (..)
Also in industry news this week: While RIA M&A deal flow hit record levels in 2024 (both in terms of volume and the speed of completing them), firm valuations saw relatively modest gains In its latest annual regulatory oversight report, FINRA joined the SEC in flagging the potential risks to firm and client data from the use of third-party vendors (..)
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that at a time when brokerage firms' cash sweep programs come under increased scrutiny (and as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates), Charles Schwab (the largest RIA custodian) continues to slash sweep rates for client (..)
Also in industry news this week: Financial Planning Association CEO Patrick Mahoney died this week after a battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that includes rejuvenating the relationship between FPA National and its chapters A group of advisory trade groups and broker-dealers have sent a letter to Congressional committees requesting that the (..)
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that the "Social Security Fairness Act" was signed into law this week, eliminating the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provisions, which previously reduced the Social Security benefits (..)
In the early days of financial planning, serving clients often meant developing transactional relationships focused on facilitating trades and selling insurance. Today, the industry has evolved further, with a growing emphasis on aligning financial decisions with clients' personal priorities and life goals.
Each week in Weekend Reading For Financial Planners, we seek to bring you synopses and commentaries on 12 articles covering news for financial advisors including topics covering technical planning, practice management, advisor marketing, career development, and more.
Which, if implemented under the new administration, could provide relief for investment advisers, particularly smaller firms that already have to balance compliance with client service, marketing, and the other duties that go into running a firm.
Recent swings have been driven by economic policy shifts, persistent inflation concerns, and geopolitical uncertainty – all of which may unnerve even the steadiest of clients. During turbulent periods like these, advisors play a critical role in helping clients maintain perspective and stay grounded.
Most financial advisors strive to provide excellent client care and prioritize a systematic process to maintain regular communication with their clients both on a scheduled (e.g., Suddenly, the question of, "What does it mean to provide the best care for clients at this firm as a team?" annual meeting) and an "on demand" basis.
In this article, Senior Financial Planning Nerd Sydney Squires discusses how to construct an associate advisor onboarding plan that guides an associate advisor through their first year, establishes clear checkpoints for progress, yet still allows enough flexibility to grow with the new advisor! building an initial financial plan).
For financial advisors, an ongoing client service model often means finding ways to keep clients engaged and progressing toward their goals outside of the 1 or 2 typical client review meetings each year.
The obvious answer to growing beyond the capacity of a single owner/advisor is to build a team of employees (either in advisory and/or other roles like client service or operations) that can accommodate additional room for growth. Read More.
For instance, ensuring clients maintain the proper insurance coverage based on their needs is an important part of the financial planning process. At the same time, clients face another class of risks that advisors often do not consider: cyber. stealing a client’s financial assets that are accessible online), identity theft (i.e.,
One of the key steps in the financial planning process is presenting the plan to the client, which has traditionally been done as part of a single 'plan presentation' meeting that takes place once the advisor has gathered and analyzed all of the client's data.
Establishing successful client relationships as a financial advisor relies on good communication skills not just to present information persuasively and with confidence, but also to establish client rapport that allows meaningful and engaging relationships to be built.
This is largely because, for financial advisors, it's not 'just' about capturing notes from the client meeting itself, but also about managing everything that follows: recording meeting notes in the CRM for compliance purposes, assigning post-meeting tasks to the team, and sending the client a post-meeting recap email.
The study also identified attributes of "top performing" firms across a range of metrics, finding that they are more likely than other firms to have a clear ideal client persona, client value proposition, and marketing plan.
Also in industry news this week: The Federal Trade Commission released a final rule that would ban most non-compete agreements, which could lead to an increasing number of non-solicit agreements (and, potentially, lawsuits regarding their enforcement) between financial planning firms and their advisors The Securities and Exchange Commission issued (..)
Also in industry news this week: 43% of wealth management firms are frustrated with the effectiveness of their CRM software, spurred on by challenges with integrations and workflows, according to a recent survey The Social Security Administration this week announced a 2.5%
Nonetheless, given Kitces Research findings that being 'too' comprehensive can eat into a firm's bottom line, advisors might seek a 'sweet spot' of providing a comprehensive slate of services (but not necessarily every possible service) that are most valuable for their ideal target client.
Also in industry news this week: A coalition of organizations representing financial advisors is pressing Congress to include tax breaks for financial advisory fees amidst expected negotiations to address the pending expiration of several provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act A recent survey indicates that client referrals remain the chief source (..)
Further, Artificial Intelligence (AI) was the most cited factor driving industry growth during the next 3 years, with client data integration as a primary area for improvement, suggesting an opportunity for AI tools to help advisors make the most of the significant amount of client data they possess (possibly saving time in the process) and potentially (..)
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent survey indicates that clients of financial advisors are more confident than others about their financial preparedness for retirement and are more likely to have a financial plan in place that can weather the ups (..)
Also in industry news this week: Edward Jones, which added more new CFP professionals than any other firm last year, announced that it is planning to offer financial planning services nationwide, highlighting the value for RIAs and other firms of differentiating themselves amidst increased competition not only for clients, but also for advisor talent (..)
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" – this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent benchmarking study suggests that a number of RIAs are looking to move 'upmarket' and work with wealthier clients by expanding their service menu to include family office services, investment banking, and/or trust (..)
Enjoy the current installment of “Weekend Reading For Financial Planners” - this week’s edition kicks off with the news that a recent study found that advisory forms working with a younger client base tend to have relatively stronger growth in assets under management and revenue over time.
Also in industry news this week: A survey indicates that while financial advisors remain the most trusted source of financial advice, they might increasingly encounter client questions and ideas that originated from social media Following the transition of advisors and clients from TD Ameritrade and amid competition from competing RIA custodians, Charles (..)
Also in industry news this week: A CFP Board study indicates that financial planners with the certification earn 10% more than other advisors and show very high levels of career satisfaction A Morningstar study has identified 4 main areas where investors find value from their financial advisors, which might not match an advisor's own list of top ways (..)
Also in industry news this week: The latest Social Security trustees report offered a slightly rosier picture for the health of the various Social Security trust funds thanks to improved economic conditions, though they warned that time is running out for legislators to take action to ensure the system will be able to pay out full benefits beyond the (..)
Which suggests that advisor wellbeing could potentially be improved not only by automating or outsourcing administrative tasks, but also by adjusting their client rosters to better match their ideal client type.
Also in industry news this week: A recent survey indicates that about 98% of clients are at least somewhat satisfied with their financial advisor and that an advisor’s ability to provide peace of mind when it comes to finances is a key driver of this satisfaction A study indicates that advisors can potentially boost client referrals by using (..)
Enjoy the current installment of "Weekend Reading For Financial Planners" - this week's edition kicks off with the news that a recent study indicates that nearly a third of advisors in the independent broker-dealer channel have considered transitioning to the RIA channel during the past year as they seek higher payouts and not just "independence" but (..)
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